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Buying a snowboard is not as easy as it might seem and the main question should certainly not be: 'How will this cool board look with the rest of my gear?'. You need to know quite a few things about yourself, about snowboards and about riding styles before you can choose a board that will fit you and your riding style. This guide will help you through the basics.
Call our snowboarding Specialists at SnowboardsUSA
to get the best recommendation for your height, weight, age, gender and skill level.
Before you can learn snowboarding you will first need to learn about its primary piece of equipment: the Snowboard. You will need to know what a snowboard consists of and what the different elements are before you can choose which snowboard is best for you and how you should use your snowboard. In this section you will learn that snowboards now-a-days are highly technical feats of engineering. If you have a snowboard yourself make sure to identify the following elements:
Base
The snowboard's base is the Bottom side of the snowboard or the part of the board that touches the snow. Most snowboard bases are made from a polyethylene called P-Tex. These bases are made in one of two ways: sintered or extruded. Extruded bases are melted and cut to shape. Sintered bases are ground into powder, heated, pressed and sliced into shape. A sintered base is superior - it's more durable, faster and holds wax better than an extruded base. It's also more expensive and difficult to repair. If you're looking for high performance, go with a sintered base; for a board on a budget, an extruded model will do. Even better than sintered P-Tex base is a graphite base. They hold wax even better and run even faster. Graphite basis are always deep black and are mostly found on fast racing boards.
Camber
Camber is the amount of space beneath the center of a snowboard when it lays on a flat surface and its weight rests on the tip and tail. In other words, This is the gentle arch the board makes when you rest it on a flat surface. It's closely related to flex: the higher the camber, the more pressure the board puts at the nose and tail. A Flat camber indicates a board may spin easily, which can be good for certain freestyle moves. In a used board, however, it may also be a sign that the board is worn out. In most new boards you want a slightly springy camber, which helps stabilize the board at higher speeds and on harder snow. It also makes it easier to turn the snowboard.
Contact Points
Contact Points are the points at which the board contacts the snow without the pressure of the rider being displaced on the board. This is also called the board's wheel base. The contact points can be found by placing the board on a smooth, flat surface then slide a piece of paper under the center of the snowboard, slide it toward the nose or tail until it stops.
Edge
Edge refers to the metal edge of the snowboard. The toe edge is the edge at the toeside of the snowboard. The heel edge is the edge at the heel side of the snowboard.
Effective Edge
The length of the metal edge on the snowboard which touches the snow, known as the edge and is used to turn the snowboard. Therefore, it does not include the edge of the tip or tail. The effective edge is in contact with the snow when the board is in a carved turn. A longer effective edge makes for a more stable, and controllable ride; a shorter effective edge makes for a looser, and more easily turning board.
Sidecut Radius
Sidecut Radius is the measurement of how deeply or shallowly the boards cut is from the nose of the board to the waist (or middle of the board). This is what helps the board turn. The smaller the sidecut radius the tighter you will be able to turn. A board with a larger sidecut will make big arching turns. It is the radius of a circle that makes the hourglass shape of the snowboard and thus how it is defined and measured. It works in conjunction with the running length of the snowboard.
Flex Point
The flex point is located between the two bindings and is the point where the board begins or ends its flex and allows for sidecut radius contact.
Nose/Tip
The nose or tip is the front end of the snowboard. If your snowboard has a similar front and back side then the side that is turned up higher is usually the nose. A higher nose/tip is needed for higher speed alpine riding as you will need to keep your snowboard from digging itself into the snow. Alpine boards often have a pointier nose also.
Nose/Tip Length
Length of board from the widest part of the board's nose to the tip of the nose.
Nose/Tip Width
The widest part of the board measured across the front tip or nose area of the board.
Overall Length
Overall Length is measured from the tip of the board to the tail and is generally expressed in Centimeters (cm).
Stomp Pad
A stomp pad or nonskid pad is a rubber mat that you can stick on top of your snowboard next to your backfoot binding. It is used when you need to slide with only your front foot bound to your snowboard, for instance when you are exiting a lift. Without a stomp pad you could slide off your board, catch the snow with your back foot and pull your legs apart, which could be extremely painful.
Tail. The rear end of the snowboard, which is opposite of the nose/tip. Often the tail is flatter than the tip and is more squarely cut. Some alpine boards have a split in the tail to give more turning power and coordination in high speed turns. Freestyle boards will often have similar tips and noses to make it easier to ride "fakie" (with the front foot in the back).
Tail Length
The length of board from the widest part of the board's tail to the tip of the tail is referred to as the tail length.
Tail Width
The widest part of the board measured across the tail's tip or tail area of the board is the tail width.
Top/Deck
Opposite of the base, the top or deck of the board is where the bindings are mounted and the rider stands. Most boards have mounting holes in the deck where the bindings can be screwed into. Place the holes enable you to connect your bindings to your board at different angles or stances.
Waist Width
Waist width is the narrowest point of the board. This is usually the middle of the sidecut, located between the bindings. Waist width of a board should be relative to the size of your feet. Boards with a narrow waist width are quicker from edge to edge, but if your feet are size 11 or more you will most likely require a wider board. Otherwise, your toes may hang over the edge and cause toe drag, which will slow you down.
Which Board To Buy?
There are roughly three classes to distinguish here:
Entry Level Boards ($150-$250)
Mid-Range Boards ($250-$450)
Top End Boards ($450 and up)
In general, less expensive boards will be heavier in weight and simpler in design. As boards get more expensive they become lighter and have more design features to accommodate different styles of riding. As you progress in your snowboarding skills you will learn which features a new snowboard should have and your demands will become more specific. Beginning boarders should settle for a less expensive board that will teach them their exact needs and preferences.
On the entry level end, SnowboardsUSA sells the entry level
2007 Rossignol Imperial mens board for $179:
On the high end, the lightest wood core snowboard in the world is the
2008 Elan Inverse which sells for $549.
There is nothing wrong with buying a top end board of you are a entry level, except for the fact that you will spend a lot of money on your first snowboard and not take advantage of its features. If you have never ridden a snowboard before, note that some people quit after the first trip because snowboarding pushes physical ability and endurance to the limit. Without a lesson, a lot of people become frustrated and end up sitting out out the trip after the first 2 hours. A lesson is essential for beginners. A beginners board will minimize your cost until you decide that you want to spend more time in the sport. For Teens and Kids, remember that they grow up fast and they will grow out of the board in one year. You will end up buying a longer board the next year. This is an example where entry an level board will save you a lot of money.
What is my Skill Level?
Again there are roughly three classes to distinguish here:
Newbie: from total beginner to having a few days of riding experience
Intermediate: comfortable with common riding techniques and starting to attempt tricks
Advanced: comfortable with riding all pistes and off slope. Advanced tricks and skills
What is my preferred Riding Style?
Once you have evolved from a beginner to a more experienced boarder, you may want to choose a distinctive Riding Style and adjust your gear according to that choice. Again there are mainly three classes of snowboard riding styles although there are many subclasses. For more information on Riding Styles click the link given to the left. That section will describe how the different Snowboarding Riding Styles work so you can make a choice. In short these are the main classes:
Freestyle
Freeride
Freecarve
Most boards will be in 1 of these categories. Some beginner boards might be a combination of Freestyle and Freeride. It is best to choose a board that will fit your style as soon as possible instead of learning a particular style on a combination board. Many snowboarders learn how to ride on a FreeRide/FreeStyle board and then choose one of these styles. FreeCarving is often selected by more experienced FreeRide boarders.
What Length should my Snowboard be?
Length is one of the most important characteristics of a snowboard. In general, there are a few rules:
For a person with average build, the board's length should reach the chin or mouth of the person when placed on the ground.
Heavier riders should have longer less flexible boards
Lighter riders should have shorter more flexible boards
Freestyle riding is often done with shorter board to allow better maneuverability. Freeriding, deep snow and racing boards will be longer in size.
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